In video of the confrontation, the United Airlines employee can be heard saying: 'Maybe we should call ICE on you.'
Tuesday, July 21, 2026 4:03PMA man says he was offended and shocked after a United Airlines employee at San Francisco International Airport suggested calling U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on him during a confrontation over a ticketing issue.
Julio Varela said the incident happened last Tuesday after he spent about three hours trying to correct a ticketing error for his daughter before a family trip to Montreal. According to Varela, he, his wife and their two daughters were attempting to fly to Montreal on July 14 when they discovered one daughter's ticket had her middle and last names mixed up.
He said the error sent the family back and forth between United Airlines and Air Canada counters for hours. Varela said an Air Canada employee was working to resolve the issue when a United employee joined the conversation.
"She said 'I already told you. I can't do anything. Whether you fly out or not, I don't care,'" Varela said.
"That's what triggered me to say, 'you're rude. ' And I also said you're rude and you're lazy. "Both he and the employee recorded the interaction. When Varela responded, "You going to call ICE on me," the employee continued: "Maybe you need to be.
Because you don't act like a citizen.
"Varela said the comment escalated the dispute. "That's obviously when I lost it even more because I was already angered and bothered angered by the way she didn't care. ""My jaw dropped. Number one.
I was shocked and immediately I was angry," Varela said. Varela, who identified himself as Hispanic and Mexican, said he was especially troubled by the employee's reference to ICE.
"If she is going to have the gall to say 'I'm going to call ICE' on a Hispanic person, Mexican, and to say that in San Francisco... " He said the comment was especially concerning amid recent public attention surrounding immigration enforcement actions. In a statement, United Airlines said: "We're looking into the interaction in this video, but don't have anything additional to share at this time.
"He said a United representative contacted him to get his account of what happened and that the two sides communicated briefly by email. United has not provided additional details about the incident.
Please follow us on Google to support usUnited States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News: You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
United Airlines worker threatens to call ICE on Bay Area family at SFOA Bay Area family was flying home to San Francisco International Airport with lingering fears of detainment after a viral video showed a United Airlines employee threatening to call immigration authorities on them during a ticketing dispute.
Read more »
United Airlines Employee Threatens to Call ICE on Hispanic Traveler Over Ticket ErrorA United Airlines employee threatened to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on a Hispanic traveler after his family's tickets were canceled due to a name error. The incident was captured on video and has sparked outrage over racial profiling and poor customer service.
Read more »
United Airlines employee threatens to call ICE on Bay Area family at SFOA viral video captured the confrontation during a ticketing dispute, leaving the family fearing detainment upon their return from Canada.
Read more »
United investigates after agent allegedly threatened to call ICE on passenger in viral videoIn video of the confrontation, the United Airlines employee can be heard saying: 'Maybe we should call ICE on you.'
Read more »